Houston, Texas: the hometown of Beyonce, Mike Jones, Solange, Paul Wall, Slim Thug,Trae Tha Truth, Kelly Rowland, Fat Pat and Hilary Duff. I must say I wasn’t sure what to expect. After visiting her sister city to the north, Dallas, last year, I really didn’t go in with super high expectations. Little did I know this sweet city was going to charm my socks off in the short time that I was there. From the authentic southern hospitality, to interesting facts about the Houston Space Center, and true show of resiliency post Hurricane Harvey. I must admit that I am already itching to go back to discover more of its hidden gems.​While global warming made the city unseasonably chilly, coming from NY, I was happy to be above the teens. If you are looking for a new city to check out for a weekend getaway here are my suggestions from my 24 hours in Houston.

I’ll have to admit, while I enjoyed this restaurant, I will have to say that it’s a little over hyped. I may also be biased because I just came back from the Ramen capital of the world and was sincerely spoiled (Shoutout to Japan). I was happy to see that they had vegan/vegetarian options that weren’t basic. I enjoyed the broth of the Spicy Creamy Vegan Ramen, I just wished the noodles weren’t so al dente. Other than that, it was a fun atmosphere with a fully stocked bar and single person friendly! That is unless you feel a little weird about dining at a community table alone.

The next morning I got up and headed straight for the incredibly popular Breakfast Klub in midtown. As I pulled up in my uber, I saw that there was already a line wrapped around the building and quickly began to worry about the inconvenience that it would be to roll my suitcase in there. However, after all of the suggestions that I had received about this spot, I knew that it was going to be a meal worth waiting for. I am not one to hype restaurants, but I truly enjoyed my time there. While there was an option to get in quicker at their extended part of the restaurant (which also served the alcoholic beverages) I passed and went for the authentic experience. From conversing with my cashier to meeting the GM (thanks for your hospitality Terry) it was nothing but straight southern charm. Top that with delicious Katfish and Grits with scrambled eggs and a homemade biscuit, you have a winner on your hands. I am especially picky about my grits and I must say these rank in my top 5. I was in and out of there with hot food and delicious coffee ready to make my way to NASA!

I have loved astronomy since my third grade teacher assigned us to watch a meteor shower. Not to mention that one of my Sorors Mae Jemison was the first black woman in space AND #HIDDENFIGURES. I’ll just leave it that space exploration, NASA and astronomy have a special place in my heart. So when it came to exploring an art gallery or heading a little south to checkout the training facility, there wasn’t really a decision to be made. I was not disappointed. I didn’t get to spend a lot of time in the museum because I had to catch a flight later in the day so I headed straight for the trams that take you into the actual space center. I was only able to go on one tram tour that gave a tour of the training facility. It was awesome learning about how astronauts and engineers prepare for space travel, and are able to troubleshoot problems on Earth with exact replicas of the space vessels in outer space. Even if you aren’t a huge space nerd, I suggest a trip to the space center if you have the time.

That wrapped up my time in Houston, I made it back to the airport (Hobby) and mentally prepared to get back to the tundra that we call NYC. Have you been to Houston? Let us know what to check out next time!